The Restaurant Guys

Bunnahabhain "Scott's Selection" 1988 16-Year Scotch Whisky

The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature

Bunnahabhain "Scott's Selection" 1988 16-Year Scotch Whisky

Suggested Retail Price is $149.  We will pour one ounce for $5

We’ve got quite a special bottle for this week’s Spirits Project.  

Robert Scott has been immersed in the Scotch Whisky trade since he left school at the age of 16. Starting first as a distillery worker responsible for cleaning the stills, he rose steadily through the ranks.  By the time he had reached his 32nd birthday, he had become one of the most respected "nosers" of Scotch Whiskies.

In the 1970s he was appointed Master Distiller of The Speyside Distillery, a position he held in the finest traditions of this ancient craft until retirement beckoned. Prior to caring full time for his garden in Glasgow, Robert was, however, given one final assignment: to create a personal selection of his favorite single malt whiskies. Thus Scott's Selection was born.

The selection criteria are drastic, from the choice of the malt to the optimal maturation time for each cask. The aim of this collection is to bottle whiskies as close as possible from their original taste in the cask. The whiskies are not chill-filtered. The malts are not diluted. All the whiskies from this selection are bottled at cask strength.

 

Dalmore "Amaroso" 1981 Scotch Whisky

 

The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature

The Dalmore "Amoroso" 1981 Scotch Whisky

Suggested Retail Price is $1,000.  We will pour one ounce for $32

We’ve got quite a special bottle for this week’s Spirits Project.  

The Dalmore Distillery has been producing exceptional single malt whisky since 1839. For almost a century, it was owned by the Clan Mackenzie. The stag antlers that adorn the bottle are taken from the Mackenzie family crest.

Dalmore is located on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty, deep in The Highlands. The waters are from Loch Morie, high in the hills overlooking the distillery. The barley is from the rich coastal soils of The Black Isle. Dalmore is situated at sea level and hard by the water.  The distillers believe this affects the aging of whisky in their particular tiny little corner of the world and makes it singular.

This 1981 single-cask bottling spent 26 years in American white oak bourbon barrels, followed by a short, intense period in Amoroso sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass in Jerez de la Frontera.  It numbers just 484 bottles. 

Come share a glass. 

Glenfiddich 30-Year-Old Speyside Scotch Whisky

 

This Thursday, April 19 - The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature

Glenfiddich 30-Year-Old Speyside Scotch Whisky

Suggested Retail Price is \$325.  We will pour one ounce for \$12

 

In 1887, William Grant purchased a small, unspoiled field, hard by the River Fiddich.  There he founded the Glenfiddich (Gaelic for "Valley of The Deer") Distillery.  I don't really need to go into the quality and pedigree of the whisky that's been coming out of said distillery since that time. 

I would, however, like to put into perspective, the history of this bottle No. 5134 of batch No. 00027 of this particular 30 - Year we'll be pouring Thursday night.   It ran off the copper pot still when a farmer in China stumbled across 8,000 terra cotta warriors buried under his field.  It was put into cask as the first oversized mobile phones appeared on city streets and Stephen Hawking developed his theory of black holes.  It was rolled from the filling house into the warehouse as Darth Vader, Han Solo and The Bee Gees arrived on the scene.  As it was lifted onto its pyramid of casks, Apple launched its first computer: The Apple 1. Microsoft was using DOS.  As the warehouse doors were closed and double locked, the Sony Walkman made its first appearance. 

--Time Perspective from William Grant & Sons

 

Jim McEwan's Celtic Heartlands "Caol Ila 30-Year Cask-Strength" Single Malt Scotch 1980

This week in The Spirits Project, we will feature

Jim McEwan's Celtic Heartlands "Caol Ila 30-Year Cask-Strength" Single Malt Scotch 1980

(bottled 2010)

Suggested Retail Price $399.  Tonight, we will pour once ounce for $12

 

Caol Ila was founded to the North of Islay in 1846 by one Hector Henderson. It is located near Port Askaig and sits in lush, floral surroundings, overlooking the cove and the Paps of southern Jura. The name derives from the Gaelic for ‘Sound of Islay.’ 

 

The distillery draws its water from Loch Nam Ban, whose waters travel through limestone and peat before reaching their beneficiary, Caol Ila.  The the majority of production is used in Johnnie Walker blends. Just 5% is kept for maturation as single malt.

Independent bottlings, like this one from Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich, are some of the most interesting whiskeys in all of Scotland.  This particular 30-year was matured in Bourbon casks and then further enhanced in Italian Amarone casks - Bottled in Islay.

 

We will open one bottle at 6:30.  When it's gone, it's gone!

Chateau du Busca

 

Chateau du Busca 1972 Armagnac (33 Year)

(estimated retail price: $225per bottle) 

Tonight, we're pouring one ounce for $6

 

 

In the middle ages, the entire region of Gascony belonged to the Earls of Armagnac. Armagnac is the oldest brandy in France. Reputed for its therapeutic virtues in the Middle Ages, it has enjoyed success since the 16th century.  Charles de Batz (better known as D’Artagnan) was no doubt the first person to export Armagnac - he is known to have had a few flasks with him at the battle of Maastricht.

 

The Armagnac region in South West France consists of three areas, Haut-Armagnac to the east, Bas-Armagnac to the west and Ténarèze in the centre. The Busca-Maniban property is located in Ténarèze, which has been a grape-growing region since the Gallo-Roman era. The soil is a unique mixture of clay, limestone and sandy 'boulbènes' (a local word for alluvial soil), producing more full-bodied Armagnac than those of neighboring Bas-Armagnac, and with a stronger bouquet.  It is the manliest and sexiest of Armagna c.

 

Chateau du Busca covers 200 hectares (almost 500 acres) and has produced Armagnac since the mid-17th century.  We are fortunate that the chateau is able to preserve old stocks in a library and release them from time to time.  As many of you know, I have a weakness for Armagnac, and those from the Ténarèze are an absolute favorite. 

 

At 6:30 tonight, we will open one bottle!  The first ounce will go to yours truly.  The next 24 are up for grabs!

Bruichladdich "Black Art" 1989 Islay Scotch Whisky

 

 

 

Thursday, March 22nd, we will feature:

Bruichladdich "Black Art" 1989 Islay Scotch Whisky

Suggested Retail Price  $189 per bottle.  Tonight we're pouring 1 ounce for $5.50.

 

Just off the West Coast of Scotland lies the island of Islay.  It is the southernmost of the inner Hebrides Islands.  Islay is it's own region.  Bruichladdich is a recently restored Islay distillery.  They are doing some of the most exciting work on the island.

 

The marketing department might have gone a little overboard on this particular bottling: "Black Art is aged in the Stygean (referring to the River Styx) darkness of warehouse number 12."  Really? That's just silly, but the whisky is amazing.  And we did learn a new word: "Stygean!"

 

The important thing is that boys in the whisky department know how to make good usquebaugh.  Here is a 21 year old bottling from 1989 (bottled in 2010)! Generally the Bruichladdich whiskeys are assertive and strong and delicious.  I'm looking forward to this one (River Styx or no).  I hope you will join me.

 

Domaine Boingneres "Cepages Nobles" 1985 Bas Armagnac

Suggested retail price: $259 per bottle. Thursday we're pouring 1 ounce for $7.25

Léon Lafitte, son of a local merchant, army officer, and Mayor of Labastide,
took over Domaine Boingnères when his father-in-law passed away in 1953.   With
the encouragement of Raymond Baudoin, founder of the Revue de Vins de France,
Lafitte began bottling his armagnacs and selling them from the domaine. Soon,
every major restaurant in Paris carried his vintages.

Several years later, however, he fell ill and was bedridden for nearly half a
decade. Understandably, he could not give his armagnacs the attention they
deserved. Cured of his illness and with newfound life, Lafitte returned his
attention to his properties. He began replanting with what he considered to be
the Cépages Nobles (Folle Blanche, Colombard and Ugni Blanc). He constructed a
new chai with two horizontal presses so that he could control the vinification
of his base matter. In 1975,a gas-fueled alambic was built for the domaine. Its
plates each contained nine exiting pipes for the vaporous spirit, something
that gave greater contact with the incoming wine and, along with a low
distillation temperature, ensured potential flavorants.

M. Lafitte passed away in 1994. Since that time, Marguerite Lafitte and her
daughter Martine continue the traditions of the domaine and make some of the
most exceptional brandies in all of France. This 1985 was distilled by Léon.
It is historical, sensual and frankly, incredible!

Courvoisier "Connoisseur Collection 21 Year" Cognac

Courvoisier "Connoisseur Collection 21 Year" Cognac 

Suggested retail price: $299 per bottle. Thursday we're pouring 1 ounce for $8.50

 

 In Cognac, it's like Bob Dylan said, The Times They Are A Changin!  

It used to be that age statements were not allowed in Cognac.  Sure there were vague classifications like VS (2 years) or VSOP (4 years) that set minimum requirements that all the houses have always purported to exceed.  But the laws have changed and specific age statements are now allowed.  Courvoisier is the first major Cognac house to embrace this new possibility.  Their Connoisseur Collection 21 is entirely from the Champagne region of Cognac and all of the brandy is at least 21 years of age.    

So let's just say this is a significant step up from the norm.  Think of it as VS times ten or VSOP times five.  The cognac has been stored in fine grain oak barrels and is reported to be remarkable, caramel, creme brulee, nutty & cinnamon-like.  My first taste of it will be along with you tonight, Thursday evening at 6:30. 

Calvados Domfrontais 1978; Lemorton

Suggested retail price: $179 per bottle. Tonight we're pouring 1 ounce for $5.

While Calvados from normally is known as apple brandy, pears are also allowed throughout the region of Calvados. In the inner appellation of Domfrontais, the clay and limestone soils are much more suited to pear trees, and the pears are spectacular for distilling. At least 30% of the cider to be distilled into Calvados in the Domfrontais is made from pears. The Lemorton family has a long history in the Domfrontais. Didier Lemorton is the sixth generation to run the 9-acre property. Domaine Lemorton is is planted with both apple and pear trees. The latter's influence is dominant; for every three apples in their Calvados, there are approximately seven pears. The cider is distilled in the family's own alembic still after aging eleven months in oak barrels. It is then sent off to age in barrels which have an average age of 30 years. The Lemortons sell some excellent young blends. The jewels of the family crown, however, are the vintages from the 1970's. These are spirits which still retain their fruit while fully displaying their terroir and breed.

We open one bottle at 6:30 tonight. When it's gone, it's gone!

Jacopo Poli Torcolato and Vespaiolo from 1.7 L Hand-Blown Bottles

Suggested retail price: $199 per bottle. Tonight we're pouring 1 ounce of each for $6.50. 

Poli Distillerie is an artisan Grappa distillery owned by the Poli family, founded in 1898 in Schiavon, near Bassano del Grappa (near the Ponte Vecchio), in Veneto, Italy. The distillery is currently run by Jacopo Poli together with his siblings Giampaolo, Barbara and Andrea.

The raw material from which Grappa is made is the grape-pomace (the skin of the grape and what is left after the grape is crushed in order to make wine).

The Poli Distillery gathers the grape-pomace from an area that ranges from Bassano del Grappa to the hills surrounding Marostica and Breganze, lands historically famous for the cultivation of grape vines and for the production of Grappa.

Grappa has a bad rap, and there is no doubt that it can be a little rough around the edges.  It’s a white spirit that does not see oak aging or benefit from the roundness that comes from that.  But when made well, it has remarkable qualities.  Poli is universally known as one of the best. 

 Tonight we’ll be pouring two different types of Poli grappa from two different grape varieties: Vespaiolo and Torcolato.  We’ll be pouring these out of 1.7 liter hand blown bottles.  Poli is known as much for the beauty of his hand-blown bottles as for the beauty of the spirit within.

 

We open one bottle of each at 6:30 tonight. When it's gone, it's gone!